1. Field
This disclosure is generally concerned with protein purification and virus inactivation/removal and specifically with an improved process for the purification of gamma globulins from blood plasma and other sources.
2. Background
Carboxylic acids such as caprylic acid have been used in both preparation of plasma products (precipitation of proteins) and inactivation of viruses. See, for example, the summary of such use in Seng et al. (1990).
Fractionation using caprylate:
During human immunoglobulin preparation caprylic acid is generally recognized as an effective precipitating agent for most plasma proteins at pH 4.8, so long as parameters such as temperature and ionic strength are optimized. Steinbuch et al. (1969) have described the precipitation of the bulk of the plasma proteins with caprylic acid without affecting IgG, ceruloplasmin and IgA. Steinbuch et al. isolated IgG from mammalian sera using caprylic acid and reported that extensive non-immunoglobulin precipitation was best obtained at slightly acidic pH, but not below pH 4.5. Plasma was diluted 2:1 with 0.06M acetate buffer, pH 4.8, and then treated with 2.5 wt. % caprylate to initiate precipitation. Batch adsorption of the supernatant on DEAE-cellulose was used to clear additional impurities from the isolated IgG fraction. Later work by Steinbuch et al. showed the use of caprylic acid to precipitate most proteins and lipoproteins (other than the immunoglobulins) present in Cohn ethanol Fraction III. (Steinbuch et al., 1973).
The method of Steinbuch, supra, was applied to cell culture medium and ascites fluid from mice, using 0.86 wt. % caprylic acid for recovery of IgG. (Russo et al., 1983). The same method was applied to diluted human plasma using 2.16 wt. % caprylate. (Habeeb et al., 1984). Habeeb et al. followed the caprylic acid precipitation with fractionation on DEAE cellulose. The resulting plasma-derived IgG was free of aggregates, plasmin and plasminogen. In addition, the IgG obtained was low in anticomplement activity and relatively stable during storage.
As a result of these studies, scientists further developed several techniques for purifying IgA, IgG, alpha-1 acid glycoprotein, and prealbumin, concluding concurrently that the precipitation reaction was highly temperature and pH dependent. (Steinbuch et al., 1969; Steinbuch et al., 1973; see also Tenold, 1996).
As an example, IgA has been prepared as a routine fractionation by-product from Cohn fraction III, based on IgA solubility with caprylic acid present at pH 4.8. (Pejaudier et al., 1972). IgA isolated from cold ethanol Fraction III by DEAE-cellulose adsorption and elution was further purified by caprylic acid precipitation. Conditions for precipitation were 1.5-2% protein concentration, 0.9% sodium chloride, pH 5.0, 1.12 wt. % caprylic acid.
A two step purification of immunoglobulins from mammalian sera and ascites fluid has been described (McKinney et al., 1987). First albumin and other non-IgG proteins were precipitated using caprylic acid, and then ammonium sulfate was added to the supernatant to precipitate the IgG.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,487 to Kothe et al. (1992) concerns the use of caprylic acid for the manufacture of an intravenously tolerable IgG preparation free from aggregates, vasoactive substances and proteolytic enzymes. The method includes contacting the starting material containing IgG with 0.4% to 1.5% caprylic acid before chromatographic purification with an ion exchange or hydrophobic matrix.
Sodium caprylate has also been used to purify albumin. According to these methods, sodium caprylate is added to process plasma, and protects the albumin when the process stream is exposed to high temperatures. Extreme temperatures not only denature process stream globulins, but may also generate contaminant neo-antigens. (Schneider et al., 1979; Condie, 1979; see also Plan, 1976).
Tenold (1996) shows the use of caprylate as a partitioning agent for the isolation of albumin from Cohn fraction II+III or IV-1 effluent. Again the sodium caprylate is used to denature (and precipitate) globulins.
Viral inactivation:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,176 to Seng et al. (1990) reports a process for inactivating viruses in solutions of biologically active proteins by contacting the solutions with caprylic acid. The preferred conditions recited for the process were pH 4 to pH 8, and 0.07% to 0.001% of the non-ionized form of caprylic acid.
Other methods of viral inactivation through the use of chemical agents are known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,573 to Neurath (1985) teaches the use of di- or tri-alkyl phosphates as antiviral agents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,972 to Lembach (1985) describes a method of rendering solutions of therapeutically or immunologically active proteins substantially free of infectious agents. In Lembach's method a solution of protein is contacted with a transition metal complex, e.g. copper phenanthroline, and a reducing agent to effect inactivation of viruses without substantially affecting the activity of the protein.
Anion exchange chromatography:
Bloom et al. (1991) gives an example of the use of anion exchange chromatography to purify antibody preparations. Their method includes contacting a solution containing antibodies and contaminating protein A with an anion exchange resin and then eluting the antibodies from the resin under conditions of increasing ionic strength.
Canadian Patent 1,201,063 to Friesen teaches the preparation of an IgG suitable for intravenous use by subjecting a plasma fraction to a two stage separation process using two different anion exchange resins. In each stage the buffer that is used to equilibrate the anion exchange resin is also used to elute the IgG containing fraction from the resin.
A method of isolating a human IgG and albumin containing composition for intravenous administration has been described by Kimura et al. (1984). The method involves precipitation steps under controlled conditions of pH, ethanol concentration, ionic strength and temperature.